Dave Grohl Recalls the Time He Accidentally Insulted David Bowie: 'I Backpedaled So Fast'

Staff AuthorFri, April 24, 2026 at 3:29 PM UTC

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Dave Grohl admitted he once insulted David Bowie

During the Wednesday, April 22 episode of the Dish podcast, the Foo Fighters frontman recalled saying "the first thing to come out of my mouth"

Grohl said the interaction occurred when the pair went into the studio together

Dave Grohl had an awkward moment with David Bowie.

During the Wednesday, April 22 episode of the Dish podcast, the Foo Fighters frontman recalled the time that he accidentally insulted the "Starman" performer, who died in 2016.

“God, there was once when I went into the studio with David Bowie,” Grohl, 57, began. “He was recording… this was 25 or 26 years ago. I had just seen him perform at a V Festival, or something like that. It was like Prodigy, David Bowie [on the line-up], and we happened to be on the bill." (He appeared to reference the 1996 Phoenix Festival in England, which was 35 years ago.)

Dave Grohl; David BowieCredit: Getty(2)

Grohl recalled seeing Bowie from the photo pit.

"He was right above me, singing. It was just like, otherworldly. I mean, it was like a religious experience. I was just like, ‘He's an angel, this is amazing,'" the "Everlong" musician said.

When Grohl and Bowie ended up in the studio together, he initially praised him.

"I said, ‘I just saw you, like, it was such a trip to see you in human form right there, right in front of me'. And he says, ‘What did you think? What did you feel?' And I'm like, ‘Oh, f---!'" he recalled.

Dave Grohl in April 2026Credit: Dish Podcast

Grohl noted that he said, “the first thing to come out of my mouth, like an idiot”.

“I said, ‘Well, the first thing I noticed was all of your imperfections,'" he recalled. "I backpedaled so fast."

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Added Grohl: “I don't know how I got out of that one. But I was like, ‘What did I just…' I would never say that to anybody! Isn't that horrible?”

The "Times Like These" artist then praised Bowie's "one take" voice.

“There's no effect. It's just exactly like this. You get chills. You're like, ‘Oh my God, that's the most reassuring, beautiful thing. This is real,'" said Grohl.

Grohl and Bowie teamed up for the song "Jewel," which was featured on Reeves Gabrels' 1999 solo album, Ulysses (Della Notte).

The Them Crooked Vultures member later played guitar on Bowie's cover of Neil Young's "I've Been Waiting for You" for his 2002 album Heathen.

In 2020, on his Dave's True Stories account, Grohl recalled Bowie telling him to "f--- off" after he asked the late singer to collaborate on a track with him for a movie. Bowie told him it was “not his thing.”

However, Grohl revealed Bowie was likely just joking by saying "f--- off."

“Hallelujah! I could finally breathe knowing that David Bowie did not actually wish me to ‘f--- off' (or maybe he did, but in the nicest way possible, and even that was an honor)," he said at the time.

Foo Fighters' 12th studio album Your Favorite Toy is out now.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”